Before arriving for laser hair removal appointments, always shave a few hours or the night prior. Shaving will remove the surface layer of skin so the laser can target individual follicles directly.
Before getting laser treatments, it is crucial that you shave because long hairs absorb energy and can leave your skin burned and emitting an unpleasant odour.
The laser will not be able to target the hair follicles
Shaving is essential before opting for laser hair removal as this allows the laser light to reach all follicles. Lasers use pulsed light energy that penetrates skin layers to produce heat that damages key areas of follicles and curbs their growth. Long hair may absorb this light energy itself and damage surface skin cells directly.
Shaving is the ideal way for lasers to get through hairs close to the skin and target pigment within their follicles, without hitting your skin’s surface directly. Too long of hair could absorb laser energy and singe your skin causing pain and burning sensations as a result.
No shave prior to an appointment can leave your skin extremely dry and itchy, due to shaving stripping away oil from its surface, while it takes time for oil glands to replenish them. Furthermore, having dry skin makes it much harder for laser treatments to detect pigmented follicles for accurate scanning; thus decreasing effectiveness and increasing pain-level.
No matter the setting – be it a laser clinic or home device – shaving the area to be treated is an integral component of successful laser therapy treatment. Not only will it prevent thermal injury to your skin’s surface but shaving will also make treatment more efficient and less harmful than otherwise.
Before your laser appointment, it is also wise to refrain from waxing or tweezing as these practices pull hairs out by their roots and won’t allow for optimal laser results. Furthermore, plucking can disturb pigment in your skin, potentially negating any benefits gained from treatment. Finally, if shaving cannot happen before your appointment then be prepared with bandages or wraps as this will protect and heal skin post session.
The laser will singe the hair resulting in a burn
Shaving on the day or night prior to laser hair removal sessions will reduce the likelihood of burns, making it easier for laser beams to locate and target hair follicles.
Laser heat damages hair by heating its stem cells to damage and destroy them, thus disabling their ability to produce new hair in its follicle. If too long hairs remain on the scalp, however, laser can singe the skin instead of just targeting hair growth causing pain, burning sensations and reddening of skin as well as itchy or uncomfortable patches on itchy and uncomfortable spots on itchy damaged areas of skin.
Before going in for laser hair removal treatments, it is wise to refrain from waxing, plucking or bleaching the area beforehand. As these processes remove hair at its source, laser treatment cannot target melanin that causes its growth – leading to ineffective sessions that could require multiple sessions to successfully rid yourself of unwanted hair growth.
One common cause of ingrown hairs is dead skin build-up in the follicles, typically following waxing or shaving, leaving behind top layers of skin that may lead to ingrown hairs and irritation. Laser hair removal offers additional protection by keeping melanin inside its follicles, helping reduce risks such as ingrowns, itchiness and inflammation.
Even though shaving prior to laser treatments is necessary, it should only be done lightly or not at all. A razor with a sharp blade is best and moisturizing the area should be avoided, since that could result in cuts or nicks on your skin that interfere with how effectively the laser works.
Once your laser hair removal treatment is completed, any subsequent hair growth between appointments should be noticeably finer and sparser than before the procedure. This is because hair follicles damaged by laser treatment will shed off over time naturally; it may take days or weeks before all of it falls out so it is important not to shave until after your skin has fully recovered and be sure to apply an SPF 30 sunscreen when exposed to direct sunlight.
Small temporary grazes on the top layer of your skin
Laser hair removal is a safe, efficient way to rid unwanted body hair without resorting to sticky shaving creams and dull razors. The procedure works by targeting melanin or pigment in hair follicles using light energy; however, if the surface hair is too thick to absorb this energy effectively it could be absorbed and won’t reach follicles; to ensure maximum effectiveness it is recommended to shave any affected area prior to your laser session.
When shaving, be careful and do not apply too much pressure – this will prevent nicks and cuts on the upper layer of your skin, while moisturizing afterwards is vital to keeping skin hydrated and prevent ingrown hairs from appearing. When waxing or plucking in between treatments it’s also wise to be gentle as these can clog your pores causing further problems with ingrown hairs.
Shaving before laser hair removal will also aid your skin’s recovery after treatment. After laser treatments, it is common to see small temporary grazes on the top layer of skin which should fade gradually over a few days. Touching or rubbing affected areas could lead to an infection; wait a few days and then shave and exfoliate to ensure any damaged hairs fall out without regrowing.
Shaving before laser hair removal can be uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re new to it, but the short-term discomfort is well worth the long-term results. Once you begin laser sessions and your hair grows more irregularly, shaving might become less necessary over time.
Depilatory products like wax strips or sugaring should be avoided to reduce irritation to your skin. Furthermore, other methods of hair removal, like tweezing and electrolysis can pull out hair roots which isn’t desirable if getting laser hair removal treatment.
The laser will not be as effective
Lasers heat hair follicles to damage stem cells and inhibit new growth, but too long hairs can singe and burn your skin during this treatment, increasing its severity. Therefore, before any appointment it is advisable to shave as this allows less energy from lasers to be absorbed by hair follicles – and makes for more comfortable treatments! For best results you should shave on or around the day prior allowing less laser energy absorption by hair follicles.
As well as shaving, it is also crucial that in the days leading up to laser hair removal sessions you refrain from waxing and tweezing, pluckeding and waxing – which remove the melanin that the laser needs for successful treatment – in the days prior. Plucking or waxing removes melanin that the laser uses as target material preventing any effective treatment being achieved by your laser session. Likewise, oil-based skincare products should also be avoided on areas to be treated.
As hair grows in one direction, not against it, shaving should follow this path to reduce nicks and cuts which could otherwise leave your skin red or itchy. A sharp razor should also help minimize chances of causing abrasions and other complications; using a dull blade may result in ingrown hairs or other complications; therefore it is recommended that your blade be changed regularly for maximum effectiveness.
After your laser hair removal treatment, it is normal for some shedding to occur over the following days, signalling that damaged follicles have stopped producing new hair growth. You may also experience itching and redness in the treated area afterward – aloe vera gel, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream should help to soothe these sensations and ease any discomfort experienced from treatment.
Once your laser hair removal session has taken effect, there’s no need to shave every day afterward, as the new growth should be finer and sparser than before. But for optimal results from laser hair removal treatments, always shave before each and every appointment to maximize effectiveness of this method of hair removal.
